GVK Newsletter June, 2017

The first quarter of 2017 has gotten off to a great start for GVK. We are proud to add to the depth of our services and we continue in our commitment to quality legal representation and efficient legal services for our clients. The GVK of today is comprised of over 65 attorneys in 4 offices including senior partners, seasoned litigators and bright new hires ready to tackle
issues big and small for our clients. Upgrading our infrastructure, launching a new website, inviting partners to join GVK in key management and client-based positions and the ability to offer clients non-traditional legal services are just some of the exciting changes we’ve seen at GVK in 2016.

Long Island Office

We recently opened the doors of a fourth office located at 100 Crossways Park West in Woodbury, Long Island. This new and modern space is set in the center of Long Island. Named Partner, Co-Founder and leader of the firm’s Transportation Department, Matthew J. Vitucci heads the new Woodbury office. Matt is joined by Alida A. Verdino, Partner and Professional Liability Specialist; Daniel P. Mevorach, Partner and Co-Chair of the Coverage Department; James P. Deegan, Partner and Senior Trial Counsel and Bill V. Kakoullis, Partner and Construction Accident Specialist.

Work Life Balance

GVK has always strived to better serve our clients and provide a healthy work-life balance for our staff. The opening of the Woodbury office is yet another example of our efforts. GVK attorneys are now closer than ever before to the Courts and clients located in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

GVK Wins

Summary Judgment

Associate, Rozaly Cohen was successful in Superior Court, State of New Jersey in dismissing all claims of punitive damages, costs and attorney’s fees against her client. The plaintiff alleged that the defendant’s actions against the plaintiff’s coop amounted to Consumer Fraud. Rozaly argued and the Court agreed that the relationship between the association and the coop shareholder is not that of the landlord tenant, and therefore, The Consumer Fraud Act does not apply.

Trial Win

Senior Trial Counsel and Partner Kenneth S. Merber obtained a defense verdict on behalf of a longtime GVK client and one of the largest property maintenance companies in the United States. In an alleged slip and fall by an employee at their offices, the plaintiff alleged that the matron of a GVK client failed to place a warning cone in the area of a recently mopped floor. RSD was alleged and both the plaintiff and his physician had previously testified that an amputation of plaintiff’s lower leg was sought to limit or end his constant pain. After the bifurcated trial, the jury returned a unanimous defense verdict in less than 30 minutes.

Trends in Litigation Defense & New Types of Insurance

Level Insurance is changing the scope of financial risk associated with civil litigation: but for whom?

With the advent of companies who provide to plaintiffs either pre-settlement or pre-verdict funds (with a hefty interest rate), the risk associated with civil litigation has consistently decreased for plaintiffs, while the risk associated with trial for the actual firm’s or attorneys trying the cases remained constant.

Is this the new trend in Insurance Litigation?

However, with the introduction of Level Insurance in 2016, where coverage is afforded to cover costs of trial in the event of a defense verdict; firms and attorneys alike are minimizing risk. Level does not analyze the merits of any particular case, as the policy is only paid out if the matter proceeds to trial and a jury awards no money to the plaintiff.
Level does not pay out for lawsuits that are dismissed or settled pre-verdict.

Is this going to increase motivation to take cases to verdict?

As a result, in 2017, we will likely see the number of cases that plaintiffs’ counsel recommend taking to trial increase, with little to no impact on the amount of low level cases plaintiffs take on or refuse to take on from the beginning.